A Study In Autumn
by Takun18
Summary: A brief look on how a fox and a panda, meeting up by chance, might spend a typical Autumn afternoon together. Naruto x Tenten Oneshot Shippuden


AN. This is a short oneshot I've written to break up the work I'm doing on other projects. Mainly what influenced me is 1. Tenten's cool, and 2. I like Naruto more than Neji. 

Lastly, alot of the time I "Americanise" my writing, using slangs, terms and lettering primarily used in the US of A. This however is, again, just a little something I wanted to put together (for the rare few that occasionally check the Naru/Ten selection here) and I'm sticking to my own heritages. Namely, in Australia, we spell colour with a u. We also use km's instead of miles. But hey, so does Naruto y'know.

I don't own Naruto.

A Study In Autumn

by Ta-kun

* * *

Autumn in the Fire country could always be counted on to be a time of calmness. The day's seemed lazily longer, filled with long rich sun-soaked weather, that never seemed to go beyond comfortably warm. At night, the coolest breezes would flow through the air. And all the time, day or night, trees almost the entire country over changed to every shade of orange and red on the colour spectrum. 

Yes, clearly, Autumn was a gift by Kami itself for lovers of romantic walks, lazy days and admirers of the colour orange. And wandering through the leaf littered streets of Konoha that afternoon, with the village awash in the bright and warm colours, Naruto proceeded to do everything with extra enthusiasm.

He even didn't mind quite so much when he struck Guy Sensei and his pupil Lee, running on the spot near the western gate out of the village.

"Naruto-kun! A fine time of year, is it not?" Lee asked, stopping only to give a patented Nice-Guy pose, his thumb's up so close he could see the fingerprint. Before Naruto had a chance to answer, the equally green, thick-eyebrowed, bowl-cut Jonin Might Guy copied the pose exactly.

"Now Lee, it's always a fine time of year! Though I do admit, with the warm and fiery colours of youth everywhere, it is particularly beautiful in the Leaf Village at the moment!"

Behind them, Neji Hyuga stood nearest the heavy gate of the village, eyes closed and arms crossed in a look of pained impatience. Their female member, Tenten, stood a little farther back, both hands holding her large prized scroll in her hands. She smiled warily, watching the exchange of words between her teammate and teacher.

"So, Naruto-kun!" Lee continued, the only difference between him and his Jonin idol being his bug-eyes and higher voice. (Even their thumb-prints look so similar...) Naruto noticed. "What brings you here today this fine afternoon?"

"Ahh, I'm out to do some training, y'know! Sakura-chan say's the Chunin exams are back soon, so I'm going to practice scroll stealing." Tenten looked up thoughtfully, and Neji seemed to grin a little, shaking his head. But both reactions were tiny compared to Lee, who believed that anyone willing to go out and spend time on hard work was nothing sure of a Saint. And naturally, what one of the Noble Savages thought, so did the other. Naruto was suddenly lurched forward as a heavy hand slapped him on the back, followed by the deep laugh of Might Guy. 

"A splendid idea, Naruto! It could never hurt to sharpen one's skills at acquiring information! So, do I dare venture a guess that my.. eternal rival Kakashi will be taking part in you training?" Guy grinned, a sparkle flashing on his teeth. Naruto couldn't help but squint and run his tongue over her own canine. 'How the hell do you do that thing..?'

Rather than work it out, Naruto waved his hands. "Nah, Kakashi-sensei said there's some fancy Jonin meeting on, and Sakura-chan's busy with medical stuff, so I'm doing it Uzumaki style!" Naruto finished the statement with forming the regular cross seal of his infamous Shadow Clone Jutsu, just showing it long enough for the message to get across.

Guy and Lee seemed to accept this, but Neji was the one who spoke first. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately, for Neji's opinion of the Shadow Clone technique was never really a warm and sunny one) his comment was not concerning Naruto's training methods. 

"Did you say there's a Jonin meeting soon?" he asked, opening his eyes for the first time since he had nodded his hello. Naruto gave a small nod, and Neji's eye's narrowed, out of annoyance more than anything. 

"Ahh, that's right, now I remember, I was supposed to relay the message to you Neji..." Guy murmured, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Soon, his heavy hand fell on Lee's shoulder and he looked to Tenten.

"Lee, Tenten, I'm afraid Neji and I must go attend this meeting. I'm sorry, I know how much you both wanted to train today..."

"Guy-sensei! I'll gladly complete the training even in your absence!" Lee shouted, and started jogging on the spot once more. Guy grinned affectionately at his most dedicated pupil, taking his eyes off of Tenten, who released a sigh.

"Glad to hear it Lee! Remember, four hundred laps around the Leaf Village before the sun sets beyond the tree line! As for us Neji, I daresay we best prepare for our meeting. All right! Let us burn with the flame of youth!"

Both Jonin's jumped high, flashing away, as Lee's running on the spot increased until his legs were a green blur.

"Take care Naruto-kun! See you later Tenten!" And with a whip of air, Lee had taken off, leaving only Genin and Chunin left.

"So... four hundred laps, huh?" Naruto asked when Lee's outline had disappeared.

"Yes, but I don't usually join in anyway. All that physical stuff isn't my idea of training. Speaking of which.." Tenten let the edge of her huge weapon storing scroll rest on the ground as she held it upright, leaning against it. Naruto took in her stance, showing feminine strength and power. Naruto crossed his arm's behind his head, and Tenten couldn't help but think that it would be a pose he'd perform even while wearing the traditional white robes of the Hokage.

"So, just how do you train for scroll stealing?" Tenten asked, curious to know just what the blonde had in mind. Naruto scratched a whiskered cheek and pulled out a small, gold training scroll. Tenten knew them well: standard equipment made available to Leaf ninja. Applying some chakra onto a seal on the outside allowed the gold to take on different colours, from traditional reds and blacks, to even sporting the same colour of leaves or tree branches, to help camouflage it when so desired.

Naruto gave it a light flick upwards, letting it spin twice before he caught it.

"I get a bunch of my clones to carry it. They go off, and later I try and come after it."

Tenten nodded thoughtfully, holding her hand out in front of her. Naruto tossed the scroll and she grabbed it out of midair.

"So, is it effective?" she asked. Naruto made a sour look before scratching the side of his head.

"I know what you mean.." he answered, before Tenten thought that maybe she might have to explain it a little better. ".. But no, not really. My clones have the same mind as I have. Sometimes I've found the scroll just by looking for a place where I'd likely hide it. And clones aren't really durable enough to fight to protect it for long.."

Tenten nodded, flicking the scroll up. Unlike Naruto's attempt, it made several spins in the air before landing neatly in her gloved palm.

"Well, my training's been cancelled.. want some help?"

* * *

_Once considered false and unlikely, it has now become a proven fact that panda's traditionally live in small groups, but, in contrast, will keep a large territory to themselves. Often in these cases, the territory size is fundamental to the size of the panda group._

* * *

The Fourteenth training ground was one of the lesser used area's for training, used at most for sparring and small exercises, or the occasional demonstration of techniques. Officially, the Fourteenth's shape was a haphazard oval, just larger than the ground's of the Chunin rank exam stadium. It's ground was entirely flat, grass growing up an extra inch compared to the other sites, and a healthy green. When the ground was damp with morning dew, any footsteps on the organic carpet left clear imprints. However, in the mid-afternoon, the grass had dried out, wavering in the breeze blown between the trees.

That was the other feature of the Fourteenth training grounds - the entire length was covered in traditional leaf trees, making it a perfect place to train tree jumping and hiding. They were large, sturdy and had thick, full leaves. Any trained ninja could easily blend into them and conceal themselves, hiding perfectly. Except for Lee and Guy.

For a week now, Tenten had been exploiting both her teammate and her trainers love of Green clothing. Even when they moved fast, they still stuck out in the Autumn tree top's, making them easy targets. Unfortunately, she forgot all too soon, Naruto's black and orange wardrobe made him perfect for the exercise they had started, and Tenten crouched low behind a tree as she looked around for signs of movement, the small gold training scroll hidden in her pocket. 

'Well, at least he's gotten the concealing part down..' she thought, remembering how they had set the training up. Tenten held onto the scroll. Naruto, as the hunter, was aiming to steal it. They both decided straight away, as long as there was no killing force, they were happy to show off what their training had done for them.

_Contrary to belief, foxes are typically loners and avoid hunting in packs. Smaller than most varieties of it's own species, they are opportunistic, relying on factors outside of their control to secure food. A fox that lives to grow into adulthood would have a great deal of mastery in this tactic, striking when the odds best suit them to strike smaller prey or steal food. Hence the well uttered phrase: crafty as a fox._

* * *

Naruto kneeled down on the branch he was perched on, looking through the bushy leaves he was hiding inside of. Twin bun's of hair caught his attention and he watched them move back and forth in small turns. Obviously Tenten was eager to watch out for him. He was on the offensive in this training, and dressed perfectly. Tenten wore her newer white outfit and while she knew she was going to be attacked, she had no idea when, from where, and how. Clearly, the Genin had the upper hand here.

Making his familiar hand sign, a second Naruto popped into existence, and without being told, it took off, springing from tree branch to tree branch while drawing a kunai. Both watched Tenten's bunned hair through the leaves as the clone swung, letting go of the ninja knife.

* * *

_Living in mountainous regions, panda's rarely have intruders on their territory. If, however, another species of animal does trespass, panda's are known to stand up to their full height, brandish the claws on their padded paws and make a loud threatening noise to scare off the unwelcomed visitor. Usually being larger in both size and number, it is very rare that they are challenged such as this._

* * *

Tenten gave a shout and flicked her wrist, her kunai striking the one in midair and caused it to spin on the spot before it fell into the grass: before it had landed another pair of kunai and a shuriken had been thrown off into the direction the original had come from, sailing through a coverage of red and orange leaves. They continued effortlessly, plunging themselves into different tree trunks behind it. Tenten quickly retreated behind a tree, jumping up into the branches and moving away.

Naruto was known as the most unpredictable ninja in Konoha, a reputation garnered from his bouts of luck and achievements. However in two and a half years, he had obviously decided he liked the temporary nickname (until of course he became known as the Sixth Hokage) and pulled a few more tricks into keeping it. At any given time he had proven to change his mind in any situation, and Tenten knew that the thrown kunai could have been Naruto himself throwing it to win.. or it could have just as easily been a clone set up to get her moving.. or a clone to keep her momentarily busy. Or any number of things. 

The only thing she did know was in order to beat him, she had to keep on moving. 

* * *

_Trained since birth, foxes are best known to strike at their prey in a pouncing fashion. When presented with the best time to attack, a fox will move quickly and quietly before springing forward, attacking with both its speed and natural strength, namely, it's claws and teeth._

* * *

As soon as a sandalled foot landed on the seventh branch she had started from, Naruto made his move, grabbing her ankle from inside a full bunch of orange leaves. Startled, she fell forward off the branch, recovering in time to flick a handful of shurikens into the leaves. She saw them shred the leaves, but that's all. They continued on easily and she scowled, realising that just as quickly as he struck, Naruto had left. She let her body fall the short distance to the ground and landed, rolling and moving quickly into a crouch. Her fingertips brushed passed another kunai of hers before she felt a force push her backwards, and she found herself pinned.

* * *

_If and when a juvenile-to-adult size panda is attacked, it will rely on the strength of it's forward arms and claws to knock it's opponent back. Together with its natural strength, should an attacker survive the first blow easily, it's usually wise enough not to attempt a second._

* * *

Tenten registered Naruto's whiskered cheeks and orange jumpsuit as she felt his hands pin her by her shoulders. Traditionally, he should have won then, but Tenten was sometimes stubborn, and didn't really feel like admitting defeat after he had tripped her off of a tree branch. Slipping her hand down to a thin pocket in her trousers, she withdrew a kunai and gave a quick narrow slash across his chest. Nothing major, nothing deep. She knew that he had the uncanny ability to heal practically anything thrown at him.

To her small surprise however, as soon as the knife cut through his shirt and brushed his skin, he disappeared in a puff of smoke, an audible "bomf!" sound as he did. Tenten scowled again and pushed herself backwards off the ground, drawing a smaller scroll from her shirt as she did, already pulling it open and running a bleeding thumb over the different seals, a collection of kunai, shuriken, knives, blades and sickles resting in her hands.

Naruto was really crafty sometimes, and she knew, as the time was getting late, that training was starting to wind down. This attack would probably be the last. The question was from where? From behind? She pressed her back to the trunk of the tree she had landed next to and quickly looked around. The back was probably too obvious. 

From the front? She had seen him do it before, once swarming Neji with Clones, all but one attacking the Hyuga youth. The separate Naruto was immediately singled out, and Neji had believed it to be the real Naruto, hiding behind his ninjutsu, until it vanished, and he learned that Naruto had been at the front of the attack to begin with.

Tenten narrowed her eyes. So far, there was nothing but ordinary trees and she mentally ticked off another obvious choice. From below? As far as she knew, Naruto hadn't learned any Earth style jutsu's. That left lastly, an attack from above, from where he had originally tripped her. Spreading her small arsenal out between her fingers, Tenten stepped away from the tree and took aim behind her, letting the tools fly with speed and accuracy.

With a grunt they hit their target, and Naruto allowed the force to push him onto his back. Tenten grinned. Really, if his hiding place had been as obvious as up in the tree tops, where he had originally struck, then it was just too obvious. At least as far as Naruto Uzumaki was concerned.

* * *

_In fights of survival, foxes have learnt running and surviving to be the best course of action. However, should the animal be stubborn, it will retaliate with pounces and attack with it's jaws, in short quick bites._

* * *

"Give it up, Naruto." Tenten smirked, pulling out the small golden training scroll and twirling it. Naruto sat himself up and started brushing off and dislodging the different tools that was covering him, only a stray kunai or star had penetrated enough to injure himself, and he knew that before he woke up tomorrow morning they'd be gone, too. Idly, Naruto realised that Tenten had held herself back, the different blades and weapons striking him with their handles or flat sides just to "punch" him. Looking up he scratched behind his head and grinned.

"Well, I'll admit you're really, really good Tenten..." he said, dropping the last kunai into the grass next to him, and sitting comfortably on the ground, innocently smiling.

"Uh huh.. but?"

"But..." Naruto grinned a foxy grin, pulling his legs up and resting his arms on his knees, leaning forward. "I bet I could still get that scroll off of you if I wanted."

"Heh, you know, if I had wanted, you wouldn't be able to move." she reminded him, teasing him by expertly tossing the scroll up and catching it. 

"Oh, I know _that_..." Again the scroll was tossed and caught.

"Still so sure you can get this, Naruto?" Another perfect flick of the wrist and the scroll spun up above her hand.

There was a blur of yellow and orange and Tenten found herself pushed to the ground, splayed out on the grass. Above her, Naruto grinned down, his legs crossed over hers as he held her wrists. One blue eye was closed in a cheeky wink and there, between his teeth, was the string tied around the training scroll.

"I win." he mumbled through his clenched teeth, his fox-grin plastered over his face again. Tenten blushed, well aware of their position. 

"Do you expect rival ninja's to appreciate this?" she asked, looking straight up at him, studying his blonde hair or his eyes. Anything to stop the signals her body was sending to her as he hovered over her.

"After I just beat them and took their scroll? Nah, I don't think they'd like it much."  
"Well then, if I'm the enemy in this training, what's stopping me from attacking you as soon as you get off of me?" she asked, her eye's now trained on the gold scroll hanging from between his teeth. 

"Hmmm.. maybe I'll just have to stay on top of you?" he asked, his eyes shutting in amusement and he chuckled around the string in his mouth. Tenten's blush increased.

"Get off, Naruto!"

"Say you surrender." 

* * *

_Regardless of species, any animal is capable of losing a match, and can and will often surrender._

* * *

"Fine, it's yours. You passed." She muttered, squeezing her eye's closed. Naruto gave a happy grin and rolled off of her. 'Breathe..' she thought to herself. 'It's Naruto. So what if he's cute..' she thought, her cheeks flaring red again. She opened her eye's in time to see Naruto sit up and offer his hand to help her up from her position. She took it politely and sat up.

"You know.." she started, picking up a stray kunai to be sealed back into her scroll later. "I don't think you'll be often asked to take a scroll from a single Kunoichi. Next time we'll try and get some more people if you want to practice again." A kunai was held out to her in offering and she took it, adding it to the pile in her hand as Naruto stood up and stretched.

"Well, it sound's great. I'm happy you helped me out today Tenten..." He said, picking up some of the tool's he had brushed off of himself just before his pounce. Behind him, Tenten's cheek's warmed up again. "But what's one Kunoichi have to do with it?" he asked without looking back. At this, the bunned girl behind him sighed and smiled. 

'Typical..' she thought, opening her smaller scroll and sealing the weapons inside it one at a time. 'He doesn't even realise he won by embarrassing me because he's a guy. Talk about clueless... but I guess that's part of the cute factor.' 

"Don't worry Naruto. Anyway, if you really want to get some practice in, next time we'll draft a few people into helping out. After all, we can't let you stay a Genin now, can we?" 

"Really?" he asked, picking up the last of her flung weapons, and without waiting for a reply he moved back over to her and kissed her cheek. "Thank's Tenten-chan!" And soon he was off again, picking up shuriken that had become stuck in a nearby tree. Behind him, Tenten's blush returned in full force.

"Well.. maybe one or two more one-on-one exercises wouldn't hurt.." she thought out loud.

* * *


End file.
